To just be SO BORED in the evenings?

[Athenaena]

As title.

DH and I have just ended up going to bed every night at 9/9.30 the last couple of weeks (even on the bloody weekend!) we struggle to find things to watch on TV that we both enjoy. We’ll find a series and then binge watch because it’s something that we both actually like. Then we’re back to square one.

Honestly, I’m just so bored in the evenings now. I’m fed up of winter, at least if it was summer we could be sat out in the garden with the chimnea of an evening, or go for a nice evening walk somewhere, or if in normal times, out to dinner/ cinema/ have friends over.

I’m just so fed up of sitting in every.single.evening. It’s like Groundhog Day. We’re both fed up and by the time 9pm comes round we don’t have anything else to say to one another as neither of us are really doing anything/ seeing anyone atm, therefore going to bed just seems like the best option.

Anyone else starting to feel similar?

I feel you. We ended up buying three new board games and a house (lol). We've spent a lot of time doing DIY. Also been watching a lot of gardening videos on YouTube.

Is there anything you enjoy that you haven't done in a while? I like planning holidays that I'll go in the future then watching travel videos.

But generally I feel you. Weekends are worst as all there is to do is go for a walk.

If you start reading War and Peace now you might finish it by the end of the pandemic (and it’s a very exciting book! Not boring at all)

Yep. I am bored and often in bed early.

Pre pandemic we used to go to the gym or hobbies and were only really home sat/sun evenings.

I find it torturous!

I've always got something to watch between netflix, prime, all4, itv, youtube and twitch apps on apple tv.

I have a lot of youtube channels I follow from the silly to food to science, art and DIY to hiking and vlogs - and I have 3 or 4 twitch streamers I like to watch too either live or they usually have an additional youtube channel where they post old streams to watch in your own time

I love streamers because it's kind of like a friendship where absolutely nothing is expected of me

having that plus many youtube channels I like takes the pressure off finding good series to watch.

I definitely watch way too much TV in the evenings but as you rightly pointed out there's naff all else to do at the moment!

We do have quite a few board games and card games and art/craft supplies which come out sometimes but we rarely have enough brain left in the evenings for anything that has the audacity to require thought and so just want easy watching

I hear you. And I really hate all the ‘well you’re boring’ people - LIFE is bloody boring at the moment. I hate it - I can’t work at the moment (industry still closed) so I do everything I need to by mid-morning, spend the afternoon on a run/walking the dog and then I’m bored to fucking tears by the evening as there’s nothing else to do. I hate ‘quiet’ hobbies like sewing/baking etc - I like doing sport in clubs, none of which are allowed still.
I hate hate hate this life. It’s a pointless, boring existence with nothing to look forward to and evenings sitting around make it even worse. OP i get it!

I know what you mean, but what's kept me sane (or as sane as I get, at least) is finding new things to do that I wouldn't have done in the evenings previously, but that pass the time.

For example we've completely declutted the house, sorted through everything, and made plans to decorate every single room plus designed a summer house for the garden.

I also recommend reading - books, magazines, recipes you've found online and would like to try .. anything really.

I've found that practical hobbies have helped me too, including jigsaws, diamond painting (my favourite one) and colouring. If you can find one of these things that you enjoy, you won't mind so much if your DH watches what he likes on TV, as you'll be otherwise occupied.

Me and DP have also started a business and co-written a book.

None of which we would have done in normal evenings!

Same here. I spend all day run ragged by a 15 month old and DH works long hours. By the time we get to post baby bedtime we have little to no energy for board games, video games, reading, crafts or anything that requires any level of concentration so we've also found ourselves spending far too much time staring blankly at the tv watching whts feels like the entirety of the Nextflix catalogue.

Are you kidding, my evenings fly by but then again I’m good at keeping myself entertained and would rarely go out in the old world at night. I love not having the pressure to go out and see people, we’d also go shopping to the nearby shopping centre which is open until 10pm every other week, that all seems absurd to me now.

I get home from work, scrub hands pjs on get dinner eaten, evening skincare routine done then relax. Bliss.

Yes, the boredom is the worst.

Evenings are kind of ok, but the weekends - oh my word they are so dull.

My house is still clean and the ironing is still done, and the freezer is still full. I'd have to do each of those really slowly in order for it to fill the sheer magnitude of spare time lockdown has imposed on us.

I think it's not just ordinary boredom at play here, but a kind of existential suffocation. Personally I have loved this change of life. Working by Zoom has freed up so much time. More quality time with my partner, decluttering, redecorating, more time to read and listen to music, more time to get out for walks, discovering new hobbies, developing myself through online courses... Yes, I miss holidays, art galleries,live music, swimming and meals out - but enjoyment of what I've gained helps me cope with what I've lost. On balance I'm dreading the return of 'normal' life - apart from holidays

No, I don't get bored and I'm at home all day, every day. I play a couple of online games, do a jigsaw puzzle or play poker online (not for real money but was tempted last week when I won 12k in one session but sense prevailed), or watching something on tv or Netflix or Prime. I've also got a subscription for The Spectator and Telegraph, chat to friends on Skype, not forgetting being on MN and another forum.

You suggestion made me smile @PattyPan, I read it when I was quite young then spent months telling everyone how they need to reed it but to this day I don't think any of them have!

I get you OP and I am someone who absolutely loves solitude and I am a massive introvert. I have myriads of hobbies and interests and don't particularly enjoy going out but now that it's been taken away from me, I feel that I am stuck inside. When everyone was out and I chose to stay in with a book, it felt right. Now, I feel that I am ready to go to a rave given the chance!

[quote DareIask]@JamesAnderson
You'll find all 7 series on catch up.

See you July 😂[/quote]
Aaargh, don't tell me that. I was enjoying being 8 again😂

Find an evening hobby in addition to the tv.............. For me thats reading, knitting, cross stitch, needlepoint, family history....... It eases the boredom somewhat.

Yep, same here. I find I can’t even be arsed ringing my mum or texting friends any more because there’s just nothing to say. Everything is boring, dull, repetitive. I’m walking every day and keeping busy in the house but the lack of anywhere to go and things to look forward to at weekends is mind numbing.
Agree about tv - nothing interests me any more, dh just sits and watches silly YouTube videos of an evening - drives me mad so I go up to bed and read!

I spend about an hour a day watching cats doing funny things on Instagram...how sad is that?!

So what is actually open in the UK at the moment? What are you allowed to do?

I'm in Australia, reading this and feeling awful for your situation. I couldn't imagine living alone and not being able to see other people, my mental health would be shot.

I hope the situation improves for you all very soon.

I hear you OP. I am fed up of TV so am reading more instead. I have done boxsets cooking, baking, gardening etc and sick of it all now and my motivation has gone down the pan. I want a night out with friends. I want to go to the gym. I want to have something to talk about.

I have been doing a lot of arguing the toss on MN, but I know it is a terrible waste of time and energy.

I don't think you're unreasonable to be bored - it IS bloody boring. But I do think you can solve this at least a little by not trying to do everything with your DH. In normal times, do you spend every evening together or are you often out with friends/at gym/ doing other things separately?

In our case, we spend only about 2 evenings together actively doing stuff together, maybe three. Other nights I'm reading or zooming with a friend or doing something on my computer that might be necessary or just for my own interest. DH plays music or does a work out or watches a documentary or watches DIY You Tube videos! .

I have a couple of other more task orientated things I want to do but to be honest, because I'm working long hours and the kids are hard work, I don't have energy by the evening. But when I took a few weeks off during Christmas I did do a few of those too - eg sorting my cupboards and the kids' cupboards.

Try reading - you'll never run of of books!!

I've barely watched TV in the last year as I just can't bear to look at another screen after spending all day teaching online.

We do a zoom quiz once a week which is fun, are there any you can join? Ours is run by a local pub and there are around a 100 people every week. We play in a team with friends and it does feel like we're socialising.

So what is actually open in the UK at the moment? What are you allowed to do?

Nothing!!
Essential shops or take away only and you can meet with one other person outside. It's pretty rubbish!

So what is actually open in the UK at the moment? What are you allowed to do?

I'm in Australia, reading this and feeling awful for your situation. I couldn't imagine living alone and not being able to see other people, my mental health would be shot.

It’s so weird to imagine that people in others parts of the world are just living normal lives. I forgotten what it’s like to just go and do as you please!
At the moment only essential shops are open so supermarkets/diy shops etc. You are supposed to shop alone - social distancing and mask wearing obvs. You are not supposed to leave your local area unless for work and you are not allowed to visit people in their homes unless you’re in a “support bubble” (there are different terms around this). You are also only supposed to meet one other person in public to walk/exercise etc but I don’t think most people have been taking any notice of this rule, understandably.
As from April 12th non-essential shops are opening, cafes are allowed to serve outdoors and we can go on self-catering holidays (in our own country). This is in England.

Nothing is open here (aside a few shops, which are obviously closed in the evenings).

Can currently only meet one other person outside - it was walking till a week or so ago but now you can actually sit down, which is fucking great for anyone with a disability.

It is boring OP, with nothing to look forward to.

No, I love the quiet time when kids are in bed and I can sit and watch, read or faff on my phone. Personally I really need that chill time!

I do think my mobile phone addiction has gone crazy though.